


Friday-Market

by WritersKitten



Series: Life in Arda [1]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-14
Updated: 2016-11-14
Packaged: 2018-08-31 02:01:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8559022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritersKitten/pseuds/WritersKitten
Summary: Findekáno just wanted to spent an afternoon pretending they were nobodies. Actually, that was the only thing he ever wanted.





	

Tirion was a city of differences. Yes, the High King lived there, but traders and low-paid artists did as well. The sweet scent of fruit tarts and chocolate filled small, delicate shops, and in the Friday-markets spices hung from every stand, spreading their sharp smell. Slim, delicate ellith giggled around water fountains, and their sturdy, dark-skinned kins lounged beneath the trees.

It was, in my oppinion, one of the best places to be different, because the difference disappeared in it all.

I pulled my hood down over my face, tucking my braids out of the way. I grinned, glancing up at Maitimo. He had tied his hair back and worked to fasten a dark brown cloak. Finally he pulled his hood up, meeting my gaze.

“Ready?” I asked.

He smiled, offering me a hand.

I took it, intertwining our fingers. Quietly we left our little side-street for the main road.

It wasn't unheard of that we left our homes to spend time around the city, but normally a path would clear itself wherever we went. Now people didn't seem to notice us, and we were pulled along with the crowd towards the markets.

Even before I saw it, I could smell it. Cinnamon, basil, cumin. Roasted meat. Beer.

Maitimo's hand tightened around mine, and I quickly peered up at him. He wasn't looking at me, but rather straight ahead, frowning at something I couldn't see. Then his eyes widened and he abruptly pulled me aside, pushing through the crowd until we were hidden from view by some of the stands. “Mum's there,” he whispered.

“What? But you said she wasn't going to!” I chewed the inside of my cheek, frowning.

“That's what Ambarussa said,” he hissed.

I laughed humourlessly. “You trust Ambarussa to give you reliable answers?”

“They're my brothers, Finno.”

“They're rascals.”

He groaned, pulling at his hood.

“We could just walk out there,” I pointed out.

“Then what's the point of disguises? If it reaches dad, he'll know. There's a reason we're not supposed to be seen together.”

“And then, what?”

“And then he'll talk to Uncle Nolo, dad'll take me with him next time he goes away, and Uncle Nolo'll send you to King Ingwe's court. They'll do everything in their power to keep us apart,” he ended grimly.

I sighed softly. All frustration melted off me and I reached out, carefully taking his face in my hands. Grey eyes met mine, and fear and apprehension was written across them. Lightly I brushed a thumb across his cheek. His eyes slid shut and I brought our faces together, for the first time kissing him anywhere else than the safe darkness of our rooms.

For a moment his hands rested uncertainly on my waist, then he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer. I wound my arms around his neck.

When we broke apart, I was short of air. The darkness between our hoods was warm. Our noses brushed together, and I laughed breathlessly. My blood roared in my ears. If anyone had seen us, it wouldn't have mattered. Nobody would have recognised us.

He nipped my nose lightly, then kissed it.

Heat coursed through me. I closed my eyes, merely enjoying the feel of his lips against my face. The soft gesture said more than a thousand words could have.

“Maitimo!”

We sprung apart and I pulled the hood over my face, wrapping the cloak tightly around myself.

“I told you I saw him!”

“But who's that?”

I recognised the twins' voices, but even the fact that they didn't recognise me made it any better. We had been spotted in a place we thought nobody would notice us, and now Maitimo's words were going to come true. Dad would send me to King Ingwe's court, and Maitimo would go Eru-knew-where for Eru-knew-how-long.

Maitimo carefully pushed past me, out onto the street where the twins pulled back to stare first at him, then at me.

“Who _is_ it?” one of them asked. It might've been Pitya, but their voices were too similar to tell apart completely.

“Oh! Is it the girl dad introduced you to the other day?”

“Or is she a trader?”

“Yes, and that's why you're dressed like this!”

“What are you doing here?” Maitimo asked, then suspicion crept into his voice. “You didn't follow me, did you?”

They laughed. “We tried, but lost you in the back streets, and came here with mum. And she's looking for you, by the way.”

“Something about there always being more customers when you're around.” The grins in their voices was clearly audible.

I ground my teeth in frustration. Couldn't they just leave?

As if Maitimo caught my thoughts, he sighed. “Fine. Go tell her I'll be there in a moment.”

They burst out laughing again, then it was carried away as they disappeared towards wherever Nerdanel's stand with marble and clay figurines was tucked away.

I peered out from under my hood, then slipped onto the main street behind Maitimo. I brushed my hand discretly against his. “I guess I'll see you later,” I murmured.

He squeezed my hand for a second, the warmth of his palm wrapping against my fingers. “I'm sorry,” he replied, as though it was his fault we had been spotted, and his fault I had suggested this in the first place. His fault we couldn't be seen together anymore. His fault I had refused to marry when I came of age, making our parents suspicious.

“Don't be.” I barely heard it myself, but hoped it had made it to his freckled ears. I hurried up the street, back the way we came, towards dad's mansion. Perhaps I could convince him I had a research project to complete for geography, so that I could leave Tirion for a few days.

Suddenly even the bright walls of the city appeared dark, and a cloud passed over the sun. My chest tightened around my heart, making it difficult to breath. Was this really how I was going to live the rest of my life? Hiding from everyone I knew?

I barely made it to my room and locked the door before the tears ran.

 

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. One of my first works for this fandom, although I've been in it for ages. Hope you all enjoy it!


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